


Riko x Doujin

by BigDickFlex



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Angst?, Comedy, F/F, Riko Death Scream, She just wants to read her yuri, drama?, im making this up as I go along, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-12-02 09:51:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11506914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigDickFlex/pseuds/BigDickFlex
Summary: Riko is eager to read her new yuri doujin. However, knowing her friends, will she ever get the chance?





	1. Chapter 1

Riko returned home, quite content with her haul of quality doujin, specially purchased straight from Tokyo. Though it was a tiring day, she collapsed on her bed with a smile. It was totally worth the long trip, she thought, hugging one of her newest purchases happily.

"But I wonder...." Despite wanting to immediately read every single one of her purchases at once, it was still early in the afternoon, and Riko knew that everyone would still be worrying about where she was for the majority of the morning.  
Regretfully, Riko placed the plastic bag full of goodies on her desk and texted her fellow idols, telling them that she was perfectly fine and ready to meet up with them.

 

Getting off the bus, Riko, exhausted, watched the setting sun with a yawn. After spending the day talking to You, explaining to Hanamaru how the texting app worked, and telling Dia that Tokyo wasn't as bad as she made it out to be, all she wanted to do now was drink a nice cup of tea, and enjoy her beautiful yuri doujin. Was that too much to ask for?

"Ri~ko-chan!" Apparently it was, Riko thought as she heard someone shout her name. Don't make eye contact, just hurry home and lock every door, before she-  
"Hey, Riko-chan where did you go off to today!?" With a scream of terror, Riko turned around, seeing two crimson eyes staring her in the face.

"Oh, h-hey Ch-Chika-chan, I uh didn't see you there, ha ha." Riko laughed nervously, wide eyes trying to comprehend the speed the shorter girl had used to catch up to her. Chika puffed her cheeks angrily, hands on her hips. "How did you not! You were facing my way the whole time!"

Still not recovering from her shock, Riko replied with a not so convincing answer. "Oh? R-Really? It was getting kind of dark, s-so I couldn't really see that well."  
"I guess you're right, but you could probably at least hear me y'know! I had to jog to catch up to you!" Chika said with a frown. THAT was a jog?! Riko's jaw dropped, and she made a mental note to never underestimate the power of the little mikan in front of her.

"Huh? Riko-chan?" Chika waved her hand in front of her, wondering just what possibly could have happened to her.  
"I-It's nothing" Riko managed to stutter. "Anyway did you need anything? I'm, uh, kind of tired so I'll just be go-"

"Wait!" Chika dashed straight into Riko's path, with a shout that was completely unnecessary for how close they were.  
"Do you need something Chika-chan?" Riko asked, dreading what the little speed demon would say next. 

"Is that anyway to greet an old friend, Riko-chan!" Chika grasped her shoulders, pulling Riko way closer than she was comfortable with. "I-I mean I did say hello earlier didn't I?"

Ignoring her, Chika continued on with the same loud voice and exaggerated motions. "I'll have you know, for nearly the whole day, I had to help out around the house! Cleaning, cooking, more cleaning, you get it right?!" 

"I don't really see what that has to do with-" Chika put a finger to Riko's lips, cutting her off. "Do you know how hard it is Riko-chan?!" The other girl, tired and nearly deaf, shook her head weakly. Could this possibly get any worse?

"Just before I left to see you, I had to give Shiitake a bath! Do you even know how long that took?!" Chika continued, somehow becoming louder than before, all the while pressing her finger harder on Riko's lips.

Riko froze. What? She JUST washed him? Looking at the hand covering her lips, she noticed that Chika was wearing rubber gloves. Heck she was even wearing an apron, how DIDN'T she notice? Filling with a sense of dread, Riko looked at Chika's hand that rested on her shoulder.

"Huh? R-Riko-chan? Are you ok?" Worried that she might have gone just a little overboard, Chika let go of Riko's shoulder. However, there was one thing that remained, and that was the wet sensation that Riko knew came from what Chika had done, mere moments before seeing her. 

Looking back and forth between Chika's other glove and her own lips, Riko realized exactly what that meant. And at that moment, she snapped. Doing the only thing she possibly could in this situation, she screamed.

 

"Geez, I think I'm deaf in one ear, you didn't need to scream that loud Riko-chan" Riko glared at Chika, who in turn seemed to be rather at home, considering that she had probably given her nightmares for weeks. 

"Anyway, shouldn't you be getting home soon? It's getting pretty late now" Chika jumped up, giving her a hug. "Aw, come on Riko-chan, aren't we best buds? Plus, I can just stay the night right?"

Riko wondered how she could possibly say that after the trauma she put her through, but sighed reluctantly. "Fine, as long as all you do is sleep, ok?" Giving her a huge grin and an even more crushing hug than before, Riko wondered just how she could go beyond the limit so easily, Chika gave a cheer and walked up the stairs happily. 

Despite being dead tired, Riko smiled. I suppose I can start reading the doujin tomorrow. Starting up the stairs herself, she suddenly realized something. She had left all of her new doujin on her desk, and if Chika got there... Riko could only imagine what would happen.

"W-Wait! Chika-chan!" The other girl stopped, turning with a confused expression "What is it Riko-chan?" An excuse, she needed an excuse and she needed it fast. 

"W-Why don't you go get your clothes? I-I mean,um, schools tomorrow and you need your uniform right?" Please work, please, Riko pleaded. "Oh! You're right! I'll be right back!" Chika walked down the stairs and out the door. 

She did it. Riko saved her reputation. However there was no time to rest, Chika would be back soon, so she needed to hide her doujin fast. Jumping up the stairs and into her room, Riko saw the bag of goodies still on her desk, and frantically looked around for a place to hide them.

"Alright! I'm back Riko-chan!" What?! How?! Just in the nick of time, and with a scream that she would certainly feel in the morning, Riko threw the bag under her bed. Chika slammed the door to her room open, happy and oblivious to the stress that Riko just went through in the past 30 seconds.

"Huh? Is something wrong Riko-chan? You're looking a little tired" Forcing a smile, Riko reassured her that everything was perfectly fine, and that they should probably head to bed.

 

"Hey, Riko-chan?" Stirring from her sleep, Riko turned to face her companion in the other futon. "What is it Chika-chan?" Much calmer than she was before, she did feel kind of bad for trying to ignore Chika the way she did, so this was the least she could do. 

"I'm really sorry" What she didn't expect was an apology from her. " You seemed kind of out of it when I was talking to you earlier... so, I was afraid I kind of made it worse y'know?" Riko could hear the sadness in her voice and realized just how easy it was to forget that Chika was the leader of Aqours for a reason. Of course she would notice that Riko was acting differently, why wouldn't she?

Riko sat up, shaking her head. "No, I should the one apologizing. I was tired from my trip and took out some of my anger on you" It was true. Riko realized just how much Chika cared to check up on her despite the fact that she was working.

Sitting up as well, Chika smiled at her. "I guess we all have those days huh" nodding, Riko could feel herself smiling with her. "Yeah... I guess we do." Riko glanced at the clock realizing just how late it was.

"We should probably go to sleep now" Chika nodded and returned to her previous position. "Good night, Riko-chan" With a smile Riko replied.

"Good night, Chika-chan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Riko just wants to read her porn. Anyway there's going to be a chapter for everyone in Aqours, so yeah.


	2. Chapter 2

When Riko woke up that morning she felt like death. After being attacked by the fastest person alive, Chika, and almost dying at the hands of embarrassment, all she wanted to do now was read her doujin. Was that too much to-. Riko shook her head. She wasn't going to fall for that one again.

After sneaking one of her newest purchases into her bag, she obviously didn't get a chance to read the day before, Riko stumbled on the bus and to school.

\--  
"Are you ok, Riko-chan?" Now that it was lunch break, Riko was collapsed on her desk, with a very worried looking You taking out her bento for her. "Y-Yeah.... I'm perfectly fine.." By the sound of her voice and the way her eyes weren't focusing on anything, You could tell that she was indeed, not fine. 

"Did something happen yesterday?" You could recall Riko seeming a little distracted the day before, but she didn't recall her sounding like she swallowed needles. "Chika-chan happened..." That was all Riko could say before collapsing once again. You asked no further questions, knowing exactly what she meant.

\--  
"I-I'll be right back, I forgot something in the classroom!" Everyone jumped at the sudden shout, and watched as Riko jumped up and dashed off the roof. "D-Did someone do something to Riko-san?" Dia, being the first one to recover, stared directly at Chika. 

"Well, uh, funny thing is..." The culprit laughed nervously looking around helplessly. Oh Chika-chan, you're hopeless. "Um, excuse me, Dia-san?" Fixing her glare on You, the stern third-year crossed her arms. "Yes, You-san?"

You gulped, knowing that she'd have to chose her words carefully. "I-I think Riko-chan's just a little tired from her trip yesterday, she even told me herself" Dia's eyes seem to burn through You's head, and she silently prayed that she didn't see through the lie.

"Very well" With a sigh, Dia looked down at the stairwell. "Though we should probably have someone check up on her" You sighed in relief, and with a smile, volunteered before Chika could burn Riko out anymore.

"Aye Aye! Leave it to me!"

\--  
Riko stumbled down the hallway, her eyes hungry for the sweet yuri goodness that awaited her. The whole day, Riko has endured and suffered, feeling as if the book she stored in her bag was beckoning to her. And when practice started, she knew she couldn't take it anymore.

Riko found her way to her desk, opened her bag, and pulled the book out. When she saw it, what she felt was a feeling that was unexplainable. The luster of it, the way it felt when Riko brushed her hand across it, the addicting smell of a new book, and most importantly, the cover of the two girls kissing.

She could stare at it all day and not complain, but she knew that once she'd open it, she couldn't go back. Riko gulped, reaching to open it, hand shaking all the while. No one could take away this feeling, and no one was ever going to to stop her agai- "Riko-chan? Are you in here?" 

 

A singular tear fell. Looking up at the ceiling with a sad smile, Riko couldn't help but wonder why the gods hated her. She dropped the book back into her bag, and looked at the door to see who the intruder was. 

When You walked into the classroom she saw many things wrong with Riko. Her eyes were devoid of any signs of life, and her smile was empty, and to be completely honest, it kind of scared her.

"H-Hey Riko-chan, are you alright?" The girl in question turned slowly with the same lack of expression. "Oh.... it's you, hey You-chan... I didn't see you there" Those were her last words as she collapsed on the ground, a longing, sad smile resting on her face.

-  
When she came to, she saw the familiar white ceiling of the infirmary. Pushing herself up, Riko felt a terrible headache, feeling just as tired as she had the day before. "Ah, are you all better now?" Looking to her side, she saw You sitting in a chair beside her, somehow looking very at home. 

"You -chan? What are you doing he-" Riko froze, remembering exactly what happened before she collapsed. "I'm so sorry You-chan" putting her head in her hands, she felt as if she did something extremely embarrassing. 

"You don't have to worry too much Riko-chan" You smiled, she knew from experience how fast Chika could wear people down. "Plus it was a great workout for me! You're pretty light y'know that?" Riko smiled in response. You was someone she could always rely on, especially in situations that included Chika.

"Anyway, I should get back, you just get home and rest ok? I'll tell Chika-chan and the others that you needed a break" Riko nodded, grateful that it was You who found her and not someone like Chika, or Yoshiko. She could only shudder at the thought. "Thanks You-chan, I really appreciate it" You gave her own enthusiastic smile and raised her arm.

"Aye Aye!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If You punched me in the face I wouldn't complain to be honest. Anyway sorry for the short chapter, the next one's probably going to be Kanan, and Riko won't suffer that much. Maybe.


	3. Chapter 3

As practice ended Riko couldn't help but smile. When she got home after her little episode the day before, she immediately collapsed on her bed, waking up in the morning and feeling incredibly refreshed. 

She didn't have time to read today, but now that practice had ended, she knew it was her chance. After all, what was going to stop her? 

Grinning happily, Riko quickly grabbed her bag and jumped down the stairs, knowing that the day couldn't possibly go wrong in any way.

 

-  
"Mari, cut it out!" Kanan protested against Mari's usual teasing as she pulled her bag over her shoulder. "Oh?! But Kanan makes me feel so safe!" 

Struggling to push Mari off with one hand, Kanan pulled her phone out of her bag, suddenly looking confused. "What's wrong Kanan-chan?" Chika, somehow appearing out of nowhere, inquired. 

"I think I have the wrong bag" Kanan frowned, looking at the wallpaper on the phone. "Oh! That's Riko-chan's!" Crimson eyes lit up as Chika suddenly started jumping up and down. 

"I see... I guess I should go return it then" When she turned towards the stairs to leave, Chika teleported in front of her. "Well Kanan-chan.... You do know I could always return it" Chika said, reaching for the bag with a greedy look in her eye. 

"I don't think so" Kanan pulled away from her. She was told by You what happened to Riko the day before, so it was probably best if Chika didn't go anywhere near her. 

"Awwwww, pleeease Kanan-chan" Chika started pouting and shaking the older girl, as if having a tantrum. "C-Cut it out, Chika-chan!" As she continued to struggle, she turned to Mari, who in turn, seemed to be quite content hugging her.

"Could you please help me!" Kanan pleaded desperately. Mari looked up with a smirk. "Well.... I could do it... if you let me touch your breast later!" Kanan glared, blushing. 

"W-Why would I ever let you do that!" Mari gave her another teasing look. "Well then, I suppose you have everything under control then?"

Kanan gave her another glare, before sighing in resignation. She would have to face the consequences later. 

"F-Fine then! Just get her off of me!"  
Mari grinned letting go of Kanan and focusing on Chika. 

"Chika-chi! Shiny!" Mari tackled Chika, surprising both her and Kanan. Recovering quickly, Kanan gave a grateful nod and headed after Riko.

 

-  
The beach was peaceful at this time of day Riko thought, as she stood on the pier looking out into the sunset, marveling at the view. She decided to take her time today, knowing that she would have plenty of time to read her doujin.

What could possibly go wrong? Absolutely nothing, she thought with a smile. "Riko-chan! Hey!" Riko twitched, nearly having a panic attack, before realizing who it was. 

"Kanan-chan?" Of all people, Kanan was someone Riko least expected to be looking for her, and what was even more strange was that she was unnaturally pale.

Kanan grinned "Sorry for interrupting, but I think you have the wrong bag" Confused, Riko looked through the bag over her shoulder, realizing that none of the stuff she had was hers. 

"I think this one's yours" Kanan took off the bag. Sighing in relief Riko shook her head. How could she be so careless? 

"Chika gave me tons of trouble when she found out. You know how she is" the older girl laughed weakly, remembering how much trouble she went through. 

"Yeah, she is a bit much at times" Riko giggled, relieved that it was Kanan who found it. After all, someone could have seen the- Riko gasped, looking in fear at the other girl.

"D-Did you happen to see what's inside?" Trying to sound as casual as possible Riko suddenly starting moving closer to Kanan.

"Oh come on Riko, of course not. It's not like you have anything to hide" Kanan said teasingly, unzipping the bag.

Everything froze. Riko knew that once Kanan looked inside the bag, she would never see her the same again. And so she did what she had to do.

Riko screeched in terror, snatching the bag from Kanan, and effectively pushing her straight off the pier and into the ocean. Silently apologizing, she sprinted home, relieved that she wasn't caught.

 

-  
Kanan loved the ocean. Well, most of the time. What she didn't particularly like, however, was getting pushed into the sea in the middle of November. Especially in school uniform.

Staggering out of the freezing water, Kanan collapsed on the beach, wet and tired. First Chika, then Mari, and now Riko? The world was definitely out to get her. 

Coughing up sea water, Kanan sighed. At least she returned Riko's bag to her, or all she had suffered through would've have been for nothing.

Considering what she had promised Mari however, made her question if it was worth it.

Remembering what Mari was going to do to her made Kanan shiver, or maybe it was because of the cold. She couldn't really tell.

A cool wind blew, and the sun was beginning to set. Despite what happened, Kanan smiled, looking out into the ocean. 

It really was beautiful, wasn't it?

-  
Epilogue

When Riko returned home that night, she only read one chapter, barely comprehending it due to her guilt. 

Waking up the next day, Riko had no recollection of what happened in the volume, making the time she spent useless.

Kanan caught a cold and couldn't come to school for a week. During that week Riko felt so guilty she didn't touch her doujin even once. 

When Kanan returned to school, Riko apologized profusely and Kanan got her boobs groped by Mari.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone ever want Kanan to slap you in the face with her ponytail? Just me? Anyway, I decided to give Riko a break this chapter, but as you could tell, Kanan suffered in her place. Sorry about that. Anyway, next chapter is going to be a bit different, so watch out for that.


	4. Chapter 4

"Alright everyone, let's take five." Dia clapped, indicating that it was time for a break. With a collective groan, everyone collapsed on the ground. 

Dia frowned, was she pushing them too hard today? She was never sure when she was going overboard.

After all, Kanan was usually the one to tell Dia to stop practice, but considering that she had just come back from her cold, she decided against having Kanan participate in today's practice.

Feeling guilty, Dia decided to do something a little unusual. "If everyone's tired today, why don't we cut practice short?" Silence. Everyone stared at her as if she was an alien from another planet.

"Are you, by any chance, also sick?" Dia glared in response to Chika's comment. Turning away, she shook her head. She just couldn't be nice could she?

"Fine then. Is everyone ready to resume practice?" Chika scrambled off the ground and pressed her hand to her stomach. 

"A-Aw man, I think Kanan-chan gave me her cold.... I don't think I can continue any longer.." Dia sighed, she didn't feel like dealing with this today.

"Alright, you're dismissed." Chika immediately brightened up and skipped over to You and Riko. Barely managing to control herself, Dia turned away and waited until everyone filed out.

Recently, it seemed there was a lot of trouble involving Chika, and Dia couldn't help but wonder what it was all about. 

"Though I suppose it's common for her to cause problems." She muttered, wishing that their leader could be just a little more tame at times.

As the last person left for the day, Dia was left alone on the roof. Reaching for her bag, she noticed something very peculiar laying on the ground. It seemed to be a book of some kind. 

Dia gave an exasperated sigh. How many times did she have to everyone not to leave anything behind?

Looking closer, it seemed that the book was a comic of some sort. However, it wasn't the type of comic she thought it was.

Curiously flipping it over to the title, Dia froze. On the cover were two girls passionately kissing.

 

-  
Riko excitedly opened the door to her room, finally ready to read her doujin. Now that Kanan was back to school, Riko no longer felt the guilt that had been plaguing her for the past week, she was finally prepared. 

However, reaching into her school bag, Riko didn't feel the book that was supposed to be there. Panicking, she dumped everything out, digging through everything she had. It wasn't there. 

"I-It must be in the club room, I-I mean it has to be." Hyperventilating, Riko tried to reassure herself to no avail. 

"Y-Yeah, T-That has to be it, I'll just go grab it and everything will be fine." Solemnly nodding, she laid down on her bed, hoping that no one had found her out.

 

-  
Dia stared at the book in front of her. When she found it on the school roof, she refused to accept that anyone in Aqours would be reading something so obscene, especially when Ruby was there. 

However, that denial quickly turned to anger, and Dia soon raced home as fast as she could, hoping to figure who the culprit was. She wasn't really having much luck though, considering she had no clue where to start. 

Dia shook her head. She had to concentrate, this was for the greater good of Aqours. Closing her eyes, she began the thinking process.

She quickly ruled out the first years, Yoshiko was far too obsessed with her whole demon thing to even bother looking at things like this, Ruby was, well she was Ruby, and Hanamaru was far too pure of a girl to read something of this genre so shamelessly.

That left only four people. Kanan, Mari, You, and Riko. Dia also figured that she could rule out Chika, considering her personality, she couldn't possibly be interested in something like this.

Both Riko and You were people she hadn't known for too long, making them likely candidates. 

Now that she had found her suspects, it was time to figure out what exactly they were doing at the crime scene.

Thinking harder, she thought back to the days practice. Riko was hanging out with Chika and You, giving them both an alibi. 

Mari was talking to Yoshiko, also giving her a solid excuse. However, Kanan was sleeping near the stairway on the roof, where she found the book.

Frowning, Dia realized something. Any one of the suspects could have dropped the book, making any possible accusations she had against them obsolete. 

After all, the last thing she wanted to do was falsely accuse someone.

She shook her head in frustration, this was far too much for her to handle alone. She needed back-up. However, of all the people she didn't suspect, who could she trust the most? Dia sighed, she really didn't want to involve her but she knew it was her best bet.

Taking out her phone, she quickly dialed a number, praying that the girl would pick up.

"Dia-san? Is there anything you need, zura?"

 

-  
Walking to school, Riko had a terrible feeling. Dia had texted specifically You, Kanan, Mari, and her, saying to meet in the club room without explanation.

It gave her an extremely horrible feeling, but she knew she had to arrive, or she would seem even more suspicious of whatever Dia was accusing them of.

Taking a deep breath, Riko entered the doorway. Looking inside, she suddenly paled. This was far more terrible than she could have ever imagined.

Along with the chosen four, there stood two others. Dia had her arms crossed, glaring angrily. Standing next to her was Hanamaru, wearing some kind of strange detective attire. However, that wasn't what caught her eye first, in Hanamaru's hand was a book. A certain book that Riko had lost just the day before.

 

By the look on their faces, Riko knew, that this was only the beginning of her troubles.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to see Hanamaru in a detective costume, is that too much to ask for? Anyway, who knows how Riko will get out of this situation. Because I sure don't and I wrote it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for the not so exciting conclusion to this arc, because did you expect this story to be good?

Hanamaru absolutely loved detective stories. Every mystery novel she read made her imagine the different scenarios that could possibly happen. 

Even if her theories were far fetched, she always found enjoyment in the way the novels made her blood rush when she read alone.

So when Ruby's kind, yet stern, older sister called her about an investigation, Hanamaru couldn't help but squeal in delight as a detective story of her own was coming to life before her eyes.

 

-  
"Hanamaru-san? May I ask what it is you're wearing?" Dia frowned. She had planned to discuss a plan of action with the shorter girl, but....

"Does there seem to be a problem, Dia-san?" Hanamaru talked with a deep voice and a strange accent, looking at her through a magnifying glass. 

"I-I get that you want to have a little fun with this, but could you please consider the circumstances?" She shook her head, was this really the wisest choice? 

Seeing the tired state Dia was in, Hanamaru put the down the magnifying glass and peered curiously at her. 

"Umm, Dia-san? I know you need my help with an investigation, but what exactly are we investigating, zura?" Hanamaru eyes brightened, and she couldn't help but think of the amazing possibilities. 

What if it's a murder case? Or a robbery? Could it be that a grave digger was digging up a body in order to find a treasure map that lead to all the riches in the world?! Hanamaru was filled to the brim with excitement, and looked up at the older girl expectantly.

When Dia looked at this innocent girl, she felt a stab of guilt. Here she was about to find out that one of her fellow school idols enjoyed reading obscene, dirty manga.

"Hanamaru-san, I need you to tell me that you are prepared for whatever I'm about to show you." Without hesitation she nodded in excitement. 

Dia sighed and gave once last look at the innocent girl in front of her. She didn't want to do this, but she had to. In order to protect everyone else's innocence. To protect her sister's.

Taking out the book and placing it face down, Dia began to explain. "Yesterday afternoon after practice, I found this book on the roof of the school. This means that someone in Aqours must have been reading it, or at least planned to."

Hanamaru looked down at the book, confused. She expected something more flashy. Like a bloody knife, or a death threat. However, looking up at Dia's face told her that this was much more serious.

She gulped and nervously reached to flip the novel over, and when she did....

"W-W-What is this, zura?!" Turning beet red, Hanamaru turned away covering her face with her hands. Hanamaru had read many books in her time, but nothing like that! 

Seeing her reaction made only made Dia angrier at whoever owned it. "Hanamaru-san, if we don't find the culprit, Ruby will exposed to this." The embarrassed girl looked at her through her fingers. She could only imagine how such an innocent girl like Ruby would react to such a thing. 

"Sure if it was something just as simple as kissing it would be fine, but to imagine that there's even, S-Se-" Dia shook with anger. Who would bring a manga with sex scenes in it, to school?!

Hanamaru looked at the novel and gulped. This was far more dangerous than she had imagined. Looking down at the magnifying glass in her hand, she vowed to never let Ruby see this, no matter the cost.

"I'm ready, Dia-san." Looking surprised at the look of determination on the shorter girl's face, Dia nodded solemnly. 

" Then it's time to formulate a plan, Hanamaru-san."

 

-  
Dia finished the text nervously. Was this really the best course of action? When she asked this to Detective Maru, that's what she called herself, she simply replied that a direct confrontation was the best course of action.

Seeing Dia's look of uncertainty, the detective sighed. "Dia-san if we had snuck around looking for info, wouldn't that make us more suspicious, zura? What if Ruby had seen us? What would we possibly say?" Despite Hanamaru's strange deep voice, she did seem to have a point. 

Sending the text to the selected suspects, Dia sighed and leaned back in her chair. This was far too much trouble. 

"Maybe we should just drop it...." She muttered tiredly. Hearing this, Detective Maru slammed her hand on the table. 

"No! Do you know what these kind of manga do to people, zura!? When a person reads it, they become dependent on it. They thirst for more until they get it." Pacing back and forth, Maru started speaking louder and angrier.

"They will do anything for it! Anything, zura! And it is our job to stop these kind of people at all cost!"

 

-  
Riko looked desperately at the book that Hanamaru was holding out in front of her. She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. She had to formulate a plan later, but for now she had to act innocent.

"The reason you were called here is simple, zura." In the midst of the silence, Hanamaru spoke. 

"Each one of you is suspected of harboring illegal material!" The four stared at the accusing finger in confusion. Dia face palmed and sighed.

"What she means is that we think someone here is responsible for bringing this manga to practice." Silence filled the room once more, as everyone tried to process what was said.

"W-Wait a second." Kanan was the first to break the silence. 

"What makes you think it's one of us? I'm pretty sure no one here would have brought something like that to school, right?" Riko gulped as Kanan turned to look at her and the others, feeling a stab of guilt.

Everyone nodded in agreement. 

"B-Besides, it could have been someone else who sat on the roof for lunch or something." Riko spoke up, trying to push the blame elsewhere. 

Dia frowned. She never really thought of that possibility. However, Detective Maru shook her head.

"That's impossible, zura." Hanamaru placed the book down and started pacing around the room. 

"I was on the roof during lunchtime, and I saw no signs of any book there, zura. Besides, no one else would have time to get on the roof until our practice." Riko's jaw dropped. Hanamaru was more perceptive than she thought.

Dia looked at the clock on the wall and sighed.

"Since we don't have much time, I'd like to talk to at least one of you before it's time to go." Riko looked around nervously, she didn't prepare for any kind of interrogation.

Thankfully, Mari shrugged and walked up. Kanan and You also looked relatively calm, considering they were accused of hiding porn in their bag.

Dia nodded at Mari and turned to Hanamaru.

"While I'm with Mari, I'd like you to talk to someone else, ok?" In response Maru nodded excitedly. This was her first interrogation, and she wasn't going to go easy on them.

Her eyes swiftly moved between the remaining three before finally settling on one person.

"Riko-san, may I ask you a few questions, zura?"

 

-  
Riko sat at the table with calm expression. However, she couldn't really say the same for her thoughts. 

What if she was found out? What if her excuse wasn't enough to convince them that she was innocent? Riko could only imagine how she would be shunned.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Hanamaru slamming her hand on the table. 

"Riko-san, I'm only going to ask you a few questions, and I want you to answer them honestly." The deep voice that she was using reminded Riko of Yoshiko. Which wasn't necessarily a good thing.

"Tell me exactly what you did yesterday, zura." Riko raised an eyebrow at the direct question, internally sighing in relief. This would make things much easier for her. Coughing nervously, Riko began her explanation.

 

-  
".....and afterwards I hung out with Chika and You for the rest of the day before heading home." Finishing up, Riko was confident her story would hold up. After all it was mostly the truth.

"U-Um, Hanamaru-chan? Are we done here?" Shaking her head in response Hanamaru looked up with stern eyes.

"Call me Detective Maru, zura, and I still have a few more questions to ask you if that's okay." Riko nodded silently, hoping that it wasn't anything difficult.

"A week ago you pushed Matsuura Kanan off the pier near the beach. I'd like to ask you why." Riko's jaw dropped. This was a question she never expected.

"H-How do you know about that?" She had to remain calm no matter what. Hanamaru smirked, feeling as if she had the upper hand.

"I talked to her about it a few days ago when I came to visit." As she spoke, she got up and started pacing once again. "What I couldn't believe was that the calm and collected Riko would do something as daring as pushing someone off a pier." 

How was it possible for this girl to retain such useless information?! Riko looked down at the table. She has to do something, and Hanamaru was too good of a detective to just make up something simple.

Riko suddenly realized a weakness that she could exploit. Leaning forward, she lowered her voice.

"Detective Maru... do you ever get the urge to do something, dangerous?" The short girl looked up in surprise, before nodding in excitement. Riko smiled, continuing on.

"Do you ever see Kanan get mad at anyone besides Mari?" Hanamaru shook her head. The older girl was always so nice to everyone, so she never saw her genuinely angry at anyone. 

Riko gave a smile that Chika dubbed the "guilty smile", and leaned forward. "So there you have it, I pushed her out of curiosity, and that's that."

This seemed to convince Maru that Riko wasn't the person they were looking for. She didn't expect her to be so daring. Though she had to admit that Riko was extremely frightening when she smiled like that.

She suddenly frowned. If Riko wasn't the culprit then who was? To be completely honest, all the evidence she had pointed to Riko, but now she wasn't sure.

"Also... I think know how that book got on the roof." Now that she had gained the detectives trust, Riko knew how to shift the blame without accusing anyone in Aqours.

"That afternoon before practice, I saw a group of elementary students playing with something. Hanamaru leaned forward with wide eyes. "I payed no mind to it at first, but then I noticed something that looked like a book during practice."

Riko smiled, as she watched the bookworm sigh in relief. 

"Thank goodness, zura...." Despite the front Hanamaru had put up, she never wanted to believe that any one of her friends would be in possession of any dirty manga.

Replacing her "guilty smile" with a more sweet and innocent one, Riko placed her hand over Hanamaru's.

"You don't have to worry about anything Hanamaru-chan, I'll throw away the book for you." Looking up with the sweetest smile Riko had ever seen in her life, Hanamaru nodded and got up to tell Dia the news.

When she left the room, Riko collapsed on the table tired and feeling more guilty than she ever had before, and not in a good way.

 

-  
"Dia-san?" Hanamaru skipped into the room where Mari was interrogated earlier, finding a sickly pale Dia inside.

"Hanamaru-san, did you find anything?" Hanamaru giggled at the serious look Dia had on her face, before nodding.

"I took care of it, zura. It was just some kids." She didn't question why the first year broke her character, or how she found that out, but instead decided to just leave it at that. 

Dia laid her head down on the table and stared blankly at the wall. After all the running around, she decided it was best not to suspect her friends of anything like that again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riko doing the guilty kiss face is my new favorite thing. Anyway, next few chapters is a Ruby/Yoshiko type thing so yeah that's going to happen someday.


	6. Chapter 6

"Yoshiko-chan, do you think something's going with Dia?" 

"Huh?"

Yoshiko stopped writing as an unexpected question came from the shy, timid girl in front of her. 

They were currently preparing for an english test and considering their english expert, Hanamaru, wasn't here they had to make due without her.

They weren't having much luck though, since Yoshiko was terrible at english and Ruby was occupied with something. Well at least she knew what it was now.

"Did something happen?" Instead of going all fallen angel on her, Yoshiko decided to be a bit more genuine. She always had a soft spot for her favorite little demon after all.

"U-Um, I'm not sure but yesterday she seemed pretty distracted." Yoshiko nodded thoughtfully, Dia had looked unnaturally pale the day before and kind of sick now that she thought about it.

Ruby started fidgeting with her pencil. "Hanamaru was acting really strange that morning too. She left and told me to go on without her." Catching the sad look on her face, Yoshiko bit her lip. 

She hated seeing Ruby this way, and the fact that the two people closest to her could be hiding something must've been hitting her hard. 

"You have no need to worry little demon, for they may just be occupied with the little errand I sent them on." Yoshiko jumped up with a grin before striking a pose.

"Besides, you're in the presence of the mighty Yohane, so you have no need to despair." She internally punched herself in the face. This was a serious moment they were having and Yohane just had to come out.

She was terrible at comforting people, wasn't she? Thankfully, Ruby giggled at her antics and nodded with a smile. 

"Sorry Yoshiko-chan, we should probably get back to studying." 

"Oh, y-yeah." At least it all ended well. However, when Yoshiko caught a glimpse of the sad look on her face again, she knew she had to do something. 

"Ruby, what do you say we hang out in Tokyo tomorrow?" The response she got was to be expected at least. 

Ruby's eyes widened and her mouth hung open. "W-What? T-T-Tokyo?!" The only times she went to Tokyo was with Aqours. She had never went alone before, mostly because Dia had never let her.

"Aw come on Ruby, I'm sure you can convince you sister to let you go. Plus I'll be there so it'll be fine." Yoshiko grinned and looked up proudly. 

Though she said that, Ruby was pretty sure the fact that Yoshiko was going was only going to make Dia worry more.

"I guess I could try and convince her." Ruby said with a smiled. Despite her usual attitude, Yoshiko must have cared a lot about her friends if she was willing to go this far to cheer her up.

Though she didn't hate that about her.

 

-  
Ruby ran towards the train station excited for the day to come. It had taken her a relatively short time considering how much Dia fretted over her, but she managed to break free with relative ease.

"Sorry for the wait!" She stopped in front of the station, seeing Yoshiko in her usual strange attire. 

Yoshiko turned around with an evil chuckle.

"I see you have finally made it little demon. Now! Are you ready for Yohane to show you hell?" Ruby giggled and nodded. 

"Lets go Yoshiko-chan!" She took her hand and ran to the gate.

"I-It's Yohane!"

 

-  
The day was, interesting to say the least. They took turns choosing stores to shop in. Yoshiko choosing the strange, dark, mysterious stores. While Ruby chose normal clothing and candy stores.

After settling in a cafe, Yoshiko could tell that Ruby was feeling better, and silently congratulated herself for coming up with such a flawless plan.

"Ah, what do you want to drink Ruby?" Getting up to order, she turned abruptly. Ruby looked up, surprised at the offer. 

"I can get it for myself you know." Yoshiko grinned and shook her head.

"What kind of fallen angel would I be if I can't even help out my little demon?" Ruby smiled sweetly and giggled. 

"Alright then, if you insist so much, I'll just have some tea." Yoshiko flashed another smile before walking up to the counter.

Though Yoshiko decided to help Ruby out by taking her mind off of what happened with Hanamaru and Dia a few days ago, she couldn't help but wonder about it herself.

After all Hanamaru was Ruby's best friend wasn't she? What could she possibly hide from her? She couldn't help but be angry at the two of them. Did they think Ruby wouldn't notice?

She shook her head. It wouldn't help if she started blaming them without knowing the situation. She would have to ask them when she got back. Though it frustrated her, Yoshiko knew the only thing she could do was try to take Ruby's mind off of it.

 

-  
Ruby stared out the window, tapping her finger on the table. There wasn't any particular rhythm to it. She was doing it mostly to distract herself. 

She knew both Hanamaru and her sister wanted to protect her, but leaving her out of problems that she was a part of was just as bad as hurting her themselves.

Ruby sighed and leaned back in her chair. She wished she was as strong as Yoshiko was. 

Yoshiko wasn't afraid to say what was on her mind and she always acted as Yohane confidently. Ruby was the exact opposite though. She was always nervous and always relied on her friends to help her.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Yoshiko arrived with their drinks. 

"Sorry for the wait, the line was really long." Forcing a smile, Ruby shook her head.

"It's fine, it wasn't that long." 

As they sat there in comfortable silence, occasionally sipping their drinks, Ruby's mind began drifting. 

If she wanted to be trusted with important things, she had to think more for herself and be more brave. 

She frowned. How could she do that though? It wasn't as if there was anything much to do that could change her.

"Huh? Is that Riri?" Looking up confused at the unfamiliar nickname, Ruby turned to look at where Yoshiko was gazing out the window.

There stood Riko wearing sunglasses and a mask that didn't particularly hide her identity. 

"What is she doing?" Ruby inquired. Riko was looking around, occasionally hiding behind poles and signs. Though she wasn't really doing a great job at being stealthy.

"Hmm. I don't know...." Yoshiko seemed to be in deep thought before suddenly jumping up with a sly smile on her face.

"..But why don't we find out?" Ruby turned and stared at her blankly. 

"Why though?" There wasn't really any reason for them to spy on Riko even if she was being really strange. It was her business wasn't it?

"Where's your sense of adventure, Ruby? You have to be brave and face danger head on!" 

"What are you-" Ruby stopped herself, realizing something. This was her chance to change herself. A chance to show that she could think and act for herself.

"Let's do it." Yoshiko looked at her with a surprised look before grinning at her. 

"Alright then! Let's go and follow her!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was just a nice introduction for this arc before, you know, chaos ensues. It has a different tone but the YohaRuby was surprisingly fun. Updates will slow down for a while so sorry about that, but look forward to a nice long chapter next time.


	7. Chapter 7

"Should I wear it like this? Or..." Riko muttered, tying up her hair in various styles before shaking her head and settling on her usual. A mask and sunglasses would be enough. 

She sighed and layed back on her bed. What was she thinking? Going to Tokyo today of all days? The last time was easier, considering it was a school day that she skipped. 

It was different now though. Since it was the weekend, she was positive at least one person from Aqours would be in the general area. She almost got caught yesterday, and this was at least ten times riskier.

She couldn't help it though. When Riko was stressed she would usually head to her favorite doujin store in Tokyo, and considering that she was extremely stressed, it was the perfect time to go.

On trips like this she didn't buy anything. Instead she browsed the store for new series or things that interested her. While it might seem like a waste, Riko found it to be enjoyable. 

So, despite the risk, she threw on her mask and sunglasses and headed for the train station.

When Riko arrived at the station, she immediately regretted everything. There stood Yoshiko, glancing at the clock occasionally, as if waiting for someone. 

"I expected to see someone, but not this soon...." Muttering quietly, Riko quickly ducked behind a pillar. Why did the world hate her so much? 

Most importantly, why was Yoshiko here? If she was going to one of her weird occult stores she would probably go by herself, but Riko was positive she was waiting for someone.

She shook her head, this wasn't what she needed today. This was suppose to be a day to relieve stress, and it only added even more to her plate.

Going through the gate and entering the train, she couldn't shake off a feeling of unease. Why did she worry so much? It's not like Yoshiko was on the same train as her.

Sitting down in her seat, she leaned back. Doing this was the right thing to do right? 

Riko considered going back home before quickly shaking her head. Second guessing herself do her no good. She would see this to the end no matter the consequences.

Though that was something she would soon regret.

 

-  
"Ruby, I-I'm not sure this the best idea." These unexpected words came out of Yoshiko's mouth as her companion quickly ducked into a crowd.

Her earlier suggestion was more of a joke, but when Ruby's eyes lit up in determination, much to Yoshiko's surprise, she just couldn't say no to her.

Yoshiko nervously hid behind a wall as Riko began to look around again. Sure she thought it would be funny to follow Riko around, but it felt like they were intruding in her privacy.

Looking at Ruby made it hard to try and stop her though. Her eyes were ablaze with confidence, something rarely seen on Ruby, and she was smiling. 

Yoshiko gulped as she watched Ruby round another corner. The confidence she seemed to have gave her a more mature yet carefree air, reminding Yoshiko of Kanan.

However, looking at this new side of Ruby made her admire her even more. 

Ruby was cute, and helped push her friends along. Though she was mostly held back by her timidness, she was one of Yoshiko's best friends. 

"Whoa!" She yelped as Ruby skidded to a halt. Confused she looked over the girl's shoulder.

"Why'd you sto-" Yoshiko froze as she saw Riko enter a store. Well not just any store. On the display outside many books were lined up, and on the cover of each book were girls making out in different poses.

 

-  
Ruby was extremely nervous. When she has agreed to spy on Riko, she had expected to be caught, but as they went on she found a certain rhythm to it. 

Against her better judgment she had decided to take the lead, after all she wanted to show that she could do things herself.

So that's why despite her situation, she smiled. Because it was like a certain person from a manga said, smiling in the face of danger was the essence of being fearless and cool.

Or something like that.

However, Ruby never thought her bravery would bring her to a place like this. 

There they stood in front of the store that Riko had entered, filled with a sense of dread as they saw the various books lined up.

"W-Why would Riko-chan go into a store like this?!" Ruby felt her face grow hotter and suddenly felt faint.

She lost focus and leaned against the wall in a daze. After all she went through, this was where she was going to fail.

"Ruby stay with me! Be strong!" Yoshiko rushed over and started frantically shaking her. 

She gulped. How could she be strong after what she saw? Giving up and being scared were the only things she was good at. 

However, seeing Yoshiko's worried face reminded her exactly why she decided to do this. With all her strength she stood up and gave a weak, reassuring smile.

"W-We have to find out why she's there." Yoshiko looked at her in amazement, and even Ruby was surprised by the words coming out of her mouth.

Yoshiko suddenly frowned. "Are we just going to ask her though?" Pondering the question Ruby looked at the store once more. 

Riko seemed to be sitting down at a table, and it didn't seem like she was moving anytime soon. From the distance they were, she couldn't tell exactly what she was doing, which only left one choice.

"U-Um, I don't know if this is a good idea, but maybe we could just ask her?" There was no reason not to right? Plus, she was curious as to why Riko would read those kind of books.

Riko always struck her as someone composed, but was she always fantasizing about doing the things the girls on the cover of the books were doing? 

Even if she found out the reasoning, it wouldn't change Ruby's opinion of her. She knew Riko was nice and would never do anything to anyone unless they gave consent.

Well, she didn't really know what it was that Riko would do besides kissing, but she was positive it wasn't anything too bad.

Maybe.

All they had to do was ask right?

Yoshiko chuckled in response, earning her a confused look. 

"Terrific plan, little demon! Confront her and expose her sins!" Striking a pose, her laughter gradually got louder.

"N-Not exactly, but who should go into the store." Ruby shushed her and glanced at the storefront. Was she brave enough to go into a store like that?

Before she could consider it, her demonic companion placed her hand on her shoulder in reassurance.

"Leave it to Yohane! I will expose her of her sins and have her fall from the heavens!" Yoshiko started laughing and walking up to the store front, earning her more stares from people passing.

"P-Please don't do that! Just ask her nicely!" Ruby shouted, hoping that Yoshiko heard her plea. Out of everything she had done today, this was probably the choice that worried her the most.

She could only pray that Yoshiko didn't do anything stupid.

 

-  
This was possibly the stupidest thing that she had ever done in her entire life. Sitting in the bathroom stall of the book store, Yoshiko had her head in her hands.

Why did she decide to do this? Well she knew why, it was to make sure Ruby didn't have to go through the porn filled bookstore.

While it seemed like a good enough idea at the time, underneath of Yoshiko's fallen angel persona was a pure, innocent girl as well. 

Even she didn't understand the appeal of those type of books.

She sat up and chuckled weakly. "Well if I'm going to die here I might as well fulfill Ruby's request." Though maybe a few more minutes in the bathroom would help prepare her.

After a few minutes of life reflection, she opened the stall and walked up to the sink to compose herself.

Out of everything bad that had ever happened to her this was possibly the worst. Why would Riko ever decide to go into a place like this?

Well the only thing she could do was ask her herself. Finishing up with a sigh, Yoshiko decided to prepare herself for a few more minutes. 

After all she had no idea what to ask Riko, and didn't even have an explanation as to why she was even here. A good excuse would get her far.

Closing her eyes and leaning against the wall, she tried to come up with a valid reason. She lost her cat and thought it ran into this store? She suddenly had a vision that something good would happen if she entered?

She shook her head in frustration. This wasn't going to work. Paying no mind to the bathroom door opening, Yoshiko sighed in defeat.

Thinking about it wasn't to accomplish anything, but she needed to be prepared for a conversation with Riko.

"Y-Y-Yocchan!?" Hearing a gasp she looked up and immediately froze. There stood Riko, looking shocked and pale.

"W-What?" What just happened? Unable to process the situation, Yoshiko knew one thing was certain. 

This was definitely the stupidest thing that she had ever done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP Yohane. Anyway, that was part 2 of the YohaRuby arc. This arc will be a bit longer than the others ones, and who knows the drastic measures Riko will take. Thanks for the kind comments, next chapter will come soon.


	8. Chapter 8

Ruby impatiently tapped her foot, occasionally glancing at the storefront. It had been a few minutes since Yoshiko had decided to confront Riko herself, and Ruby had situated herself on a bench a distance away from the store.

Maybe it would've been better if she had gone in instead of Yoshiko. Plenty of bad things always happened when Yoshiko was there, and she knew it herself.

She frowned, a sudden question popping up. Why did she decide to go in anyway? She was just as oblivious to these type of things as Ruby was, so why?

Realization dawned on her and she sat up, shocked that Yoshiko would do something so daring for that reason.

"She did it to protect me..." She sat up with a new look of determination. In ten minutes she would go in to help Yoshiko. It was the least she could do for her.

Though Ruby could only pray that her friend could manage for that long.

 

-  
Yoshiko was not managing. After finally realizing exactly what had happened, her mind went into panic mode.

"Y-Y-Yocchan?! What are you doing here!?" It was like getting hit by a bus. She needed an excuse. Still in panic mode, she quickly picked one that she thought of before.

"W-W-Well, I had a vision t-that my cat, um." Well that could've gone better.

Riko stared at her as if she was insane.

"M-More importantly, why are you here!" Yoshiko smiled triumphantly, at least she managed get that out right. 

"I saw you walk into this store and I knew you were up to something!" That should clear up why she was there. With another grin, Yoshiko pointed a finger at her.

Things were finally going her way.

 

-  
Riko knew this was at least ten times worst than the last time. Before she was only suspected, but this time she was caught red handed.

The only good thing about her situation was that it was Yoshiko who found her. Not because she would understand, but because she wasn't very smart.

Well, it wasn't like she was dumb, she just wasn't very perceptive. One time she caught Chika eating oranges that Hanamaru brought for lunch, and when asked why she was eating them, Chika replied with

"The oranges are bad so I'm just getting rid of them!"

Needless to say, Hanamaru had no oranges for lunch, and no one ever found out who ate them. Well, Riko did, but that's besides the point.

So all Riko needed was an excuse that Yoshiko was sure to believe. Even if it was riddled with holes.

"So? Explain yourself, Riri!" It seemed like the first year was getting impatient.

Coughing nervously, she began thinking. It's not like it would be very hard considering that she had been lying to everyone for the past week. 

"W-Well, I have a friend who, um, enjoys reading stuff like this, and she wanted me to pick up something for her." 

The excuse was fool proof. Riko smiled, confident that she wouldn't be caught here. However, what she got was unexpected.

"Then why would you feel the need to hide your identity?" Yoshiko frowned and glanced at her face, gauging how she would react.

Riko gulped nervously. This was not part of the plan. Did she get an upgrade? 

"I-I mean-"

"Couldn't you just explain to whoever you ran into what you were doing instead of sneaking around?" Yoshiko cut her off, all while advancing closer.

Riko was losing the battle and she knew it.

She would have to take a different approach with this.

"Well, did you actually follow me here, Yocchan?" She raised her voice and pushed back.

Riko remembered what happened earlier when she asked Yoshiko why she was there. Even though she was most likely telling the truth, she still freaked out didn't she?

She smiled as Yoshiko began stuttering. It seems she didn't do well with pressure.

"W-Wha-"

"What if you actually came here if your own free will?" Yoshiko began backing up out of the bathroom, face red and thoughts a jumbled mess.

"I didn't know you'd be into this kind of stuff, Yocchan." Riko watched her struggle with an evil grin, she was enjoying it just a little too much.

"Yoshiko-chan?!" The enjoyment didn't last long however, as Riko turned and saw the person she least expected to be there.

 

-  
Ruby ran through the store at full speed. Not because she knew Yoshiko was in trouble, but because she didn't want to see anything she didn't want to.

So that's why when she finally found her, Ruby was out of breath and her face matched the color of her hair.

In the ten minutes she was waiting, she had decided to come up with a good way to confront Riko. It was better than just slacking off right? Plus, she knew Yoshiko would mess it up eventually.

"R-Riko-chan, c-could you just explain what you were doing in here." Ruby gave the sweetest smile possible. It wouldn't help to accuse her of anything. All she had to do was tell the truth.

 

-  
Seeing the smile on Ruby's face, Riko was tempted to just tell her everything. She didn't want to lie to anyone anymore, all she wanted was to read her doujin. 

She knew she couldn't tell the truth though. What could she say? If Dia found out she would murder her without remorse.

Wait. Did Ruby know what happened yesterday? No, of course not. If she did, she would immediately connect the dots.

Which means that....

 

-  
"Ruby, do you know that Dia is hiding something from you?" What came from Riko was something that caught Ruby completely off guard. However, it was a question that intrigued her.

"I-I suspected it." Ruby lowered her head. She knew Riko wasn't lying to her, and if this was her chance to find out what her sister was hiding from her, she would take it.

Riko nodded at her with a serious look. "Yesterday, she found one of these books on the roof. After she found out who's it was, she told me to just get rid of it."

The small girl looked up in surprise. She didn't expect that. Though it made sense as to why Dia would hide it from her. It also made since as to why Riko was here.

"I-I think I get it now, t-thank you Riko-chan." A huge weight was lifted off her shoulders, and she smiled. Her sister was just trying to protect her.

Yoshiko also gave a relieved sigh and leaned back on a book shelf. Well, she tried to.

"W-Whoa!" She lost her balance, and the shelf she was leaning on slowly fell backwards.

"Y-Yocchan!"  
"Yoshiko-chan!"

Both Ruby and Riko watched in horror as the shelf fell, causing another one to fall.

And another one.....and another one...

"W-What do we do!?" Ruby felt tears well up in her eyes and turned to the older girl. If anything, Riko would be calm and know exactly what to do in this situation.

However, that wasn't the case. She didn't look scared or anything, but it seemed like her face was frozen into a surprised expression.

Desperate, Ruby turned to Yoshiko. However, she was in a similar condition.

Ruby felt the tears flow out freely. Was this the end for them? They would get arrested for destroying the store, and then her sister would find out and she forever be banished from her home.

Suddenly, in the midst of her panicked thoughts, she heard a voice. It was a voice that told to be strong. A voice that told her to be brave. More importantly, it was a voice that told her to smile.

Ruby grabbed the two girls hands and pulled them with relative ease. She couldn't close her eyes now, because if anyone saw them, it would be over.

Her eyes darted around, making sure there were no employees following them. Looking around she saw the chaos they caused. Book shelfs were falling, pages flying everywhere, and one person was even stuck beneath one.

Ruby shook her head, they would mourn for the dead later. 

At long last they made it. Pushing through the crowd of people and making it to the bench she was at before, Ruby collapsed and immediately started crying.

"I-I was s-s-so scared..." Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see her partners in crime. Yoshiko looked extremely embarrassed and Riko was smiling reassuringly.

Ruby sniffled as she sat up and looked at the in confusion. 

"Lets head to a cafe, it'll be easier to talk there" The two first years nodded, as Riko finally took charge again.

Sitting in the cafe they were sitting in not even 30 minutes ago, Ruby began tapping her finger on the table.

In the end she wasn't brave at all. She couldn't change when it counted. She just cried and cried and cried. Ruby put her head down and sighed. Maybe her sister was right not to tell her anything.

Feeling a cold sensation on her cheek Ruby jerked her head up and saw the smilling face of Riko. 

"W-Where's Yoshiko-chan?"

"I think she's in the bathroom. She probably feels guilty for making you go through all of that." Riko shook her head with a smile as she put the drinks on the table.

"Yeah..." Ruby put her head back down and closed her eyes. It was her fault as well, and no one wanted to say it. 

Seeing the tears well up again, Riko pulled her up to a position in which she was looking at her.

"Ruby, you need to stop blaming yourself." Ruby flinched at the unexpected sternness of her voice.

"B-But-"

Riko shook her head. "Even if it was your fault, you saved us in the end. When me and Yoshiko couldn't move, you did." 

"T-That was just-"

"No. Believe it or not, at that moment you were the bravest one there." Ruby looked up in surprise. She was the bravest one?

Riko smiled at her. "You want to change huh." Ruby's eyes widened, how did she know about that?

"The thing is, you don't have to change Ruby, because you're already the bravest person I know."

Ruby felt a weight lift off her shoulders as she realized what the older girl was saying. She didn't need to change. This time it was happy tears that came from her eyes, and Ruby smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, Riko-chan!"

 

-  
The rest of the trip back was better, considering they did just destroy a whole book store.

Of course Riko was glad that she wasn't caught once again, though she did lose her favorite place to buy doujin. 

Looking out the train window, she sighed. On her trip to relieve stress she only managed to make it worse.

Glancing at the two sleeping first years though, she couldn't help but smile. Well, it wasn't all bad.

It was now winter break, and Riko wanted to spend it all reading her books. Well, that's what she planned until she got a phone call from Chika telling her to meet at her house.

Walking into the inn, she saw Mari standing on a table with everyone else gathered around it. How did they get here so fast? I live next door and I got here last, Riko thought.

However, her thoughts were interrupted by Mari saying something complete outrageous.

"Are you ready to go to the beach?!!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what happens when you read dirty manga. Anyway, this next arc will be the exciting conclusion to this story. Though I don't know how many chapters it'll be, because I still have no idea what I'm doing lol.


	9. Chapter 9

Boarding the plane, Riko couldn't help but notice many things wrong with her situation. First off, Mari had decided to take Aqours on a trip to a tropical island. 

In the middle of December. 

Second off, they were boarding a private jet. Which made her more than uncomfortable. She wasn't really used to such luxuries.

Lastly, they left the day after it was announced they were going. This meant they only had less than a day to pack, and in the rush, Riko had packed her doujin. 

It wasn't like she didn't want to read it. She just didn't want to risk being found out, especially since she was almost caught constantly for the past week.

So, with a feeling that everything would go terribly wrong, Riko boarded the jet.

Upon entering, everyone looked around in wonder. 

Riko simply stared, mouth agape. She wondered how rich people could spend so much money without consequence. The same could be said for You. 

She had thought the ocean obsessed girl wouldn't like being on planes very much, but she seemed to be enjoying it.

Chika and Hanamaru were the ones who really freaked out though. Chika ran around opening cabinets and playing with the light switches. 

Hanamaru looked out the window, wondering how such a large thing could fly in the sky. She marveled at things as simple as a mini fridge, and when she saw the cockpit she shouted in delight.

"I-It the future, zura!"

Yoshiko watched in amusement, and Ruby looked around nervously.

"U-Um, is this really okay Mari-san?"

Chuckling, the blonde hopped onto a table with a pose, which really didn't seem safe considering how small it was. Well, and because they were on a plane, but that didn't stop her.

"Of course! What better way to spend our winter break than to go to a tropical island!" 

Riko was pretty sure that going to the beach was the last thing people would think of for winter, but decided against telling her that.

Dia sighed.

"Why did I even agree to this?"

Kanan laughed nervously while trying to get Mari not to fall off the table. 

It seemed like this trip would be interesting to say the least.

 

-  
Riko had wanted to sit alone, or at with someone who understood the meaning of self control.

What did she get? Well...

"Riko, do you want to see how many sodas I can drink?!" Mari grabbed five sodas out of the fridge, opening all of them at once.

"M-Mari-san! Be careful!" The trip would take at least five hours and it had been two hours since they left Japan, and in the span of that time Mari had done a number of things.

She opened a bag a popcorn (where did she even get that?) and threw popcorn at Dia from across the plane for 30 minutes straight, and when she noticed anyone was asleep, including Riko, she shouted as loud as she could in their ear.

Now she was trying to drink five sodas at once, and Riko was pretty sure one of those bottles was actually hot sauce.

"Oh! Spicy!" For some reason she didn't even seem fazed by the fact that she just drank four different sodas and a bottle of hot sauce at the same time.

Sighing, Riko reached into her bag for a book. Mind you, she didn't just read yuri doujin all of the time. Though that was what her bag was mostly filled with.

Mari was humming and tapping away at her phone. It was kind of strange for her to be this quiet, but the silence was nice. 

"Riko, look at this penguin! Isn't it just the cutest?" 

Well, nice while it lasted.

 

-  
During the last hour, Riko was reaching her breaking point. After Mari showed her cute animals for another hour, she decided to finally read her book. 

Well, she tried. Mari was talking to Chika, and they were constantly telling each other terrible jokes. This would have perfectly fine, but every time a joke was told they would burst into laughter.

"M-Mari-chan, what do you call a suit of armor that glows?" Chika was currently trying to hold in her laughter, while Mari was currently doing the same. Which was strange considering she didn't hear the joke yet.

"I-I don't know, w-what Chika-chi?"

"A knight light!"

Both of them burst into laughter. 

This went on for 30 minutes, until Dia walked up to them and told them to shut up. 

Thankfully, the rest of the trip was quiet.

 

-  
By the time they arrived at the island, Riko was exhausted. They entered the hotel like building and marveled at how fancy it was. Even after all she did for them, Mari never ceased to amaze her.

"Alright everyone let's get into groups of three for rooming." Dia looked extremely tired. The same could be said for everyone else too. Well, mostly everyone else.

"Why don't we pull lots for roommates!" Mari shouted enthusiastically, pulling a box of lots out of nowhere. 

Too tired to refuse, everyone pulled from the box. 

Riko sighed in relief. At least she didn't get anyone terrible. She would be rooming with Ruby and Mari. 

Mari herself wasn't too bad, and Ruby was already a blessing from the gods, so it could have been worse for her.

Mari kicked open the door to the room, humming some kind of rock song. The room was as luxurious as the rest of the place. Though there was one thing that disturbed Riko.

There were only two beds. 

"S-Should two of us share one?" Ruby inquired, noticing the situation as well. Riko sighed. No one even had to ask, the answer was obvious.

"I'll sleep with Mari-san then." Ruby looked at her in surprise.

"N-No, you don't have to." 

"It's fine Ruby-chan, really." It was the least Riko could do for making her suffer at the bookstore.

 

-  
Sleeping with Mari was a nightmare. 

Riko had thought it wouldn't be so bad, but that was just wishful thinking. After building a barrier between them, per Riko's request, the blonde had put in headphones and blasted music at max volume.

Ruby immediately fell asleep, thankfully. Riko would never wish this upon even her worst enemy. 

To make matters even worse, Mari moved around even more when she was asleep.

So at 2 o'clock in the morning, Riko stared at the ceiling hearing heavy metal right next to her ear, while having the older girl laying on top of her, loudly snoring.

Right when she was about to fall asleep the alarm went off. 

 

-  
The rest of the day wasn't too bad which was surprising to say the least.

After nearly falling asleep on her plate during breakfast, Riko pulled her string bag full of doujin over her shoulder and headed to the beach.

She was on vacation, why shouldn't she indulge herself? She was going to find a nice quiet spot away from Mari, and Chika, and Yoshiko, and she would read to her hearts content.

Well, that's what she wanted to do. However, instead of Mari, it was Dia who stopped her.

"If we're going to be here for the next few days, I want to get some training in." 

So she gathered everyone on the beach, and they started practice.

"It's like we never left home in the first place..." Chika muttered as they began jogging. Riko could agree with her on that.

 

-  
"Let's go camping!"

After a full day of practice, Riko was ready to head back to the comfort of the mansion. However, Mari had other ideas. After leaving in the middle of practice, Mari had come back with a huge bag of equipment.

"Mari-san, are you crazy?" Despite being the one who told them to practice, Dia seemed exhausted and out of breath.

Riko could agree though. After all, if they had a perfectly good mansion just a few minutes away, why go camping? Apparently, Mari had a perfectly good reason for that.

"Why shouldn't we?! It's winter! We won't a chance like this until next year. Plus I put security guards at the mansion so you won't be able to go back." Everyone stood in stunned silence, before Dia groaned and picked up a bag.

"We should hurry before it gets dark." 

Picking up a bag herself, Riko couldn't help but overhear Kanan mutter

"Rich people are crazy..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you think about it, Mari could control whatever Aqours does since she pays for everything. Which is kind of scary. Anyway, this chapter is a taste of what's to come for Riko (spoiler, more suffering).


	10. Chapter 10

"How about some s'mores?" 

Chika noticed the gloomy atmosphere around the campfire, and tried to, pun not intended, lighten the mood.

As much as she wanted to stay at the mansion, camping was something new to her as well and she wanted everyone to enjoy it.

She wasn't having much luck though. Ruby and You were currently asleep, and Dia had decided to retire for the night as well, so that only left 5 of them. For some reason Mari had disappeared, but no one seemed too worried about it.

Chika stood up with a determined look. She loved her friends and she wanted them to have a good time, even if it was the last thing she did.

"Look guys, I know this isn't what you wanted, but if this is one of our memories together as Aqours, I want to make the most of it." 

Not expecting her to pour her heart out, everyone looked at her in surprise, until Kanan stood up with a smile. "Sure, why not? I haven't had s'mores in a while." 

This seemed to have brightened the mood considerably, and Chika silently thanked her childhood friend for her help.

"Alright! Let's do it!" Jumping up enthusiastically, Chika was prepared to have the best time of her life.

"Chika-san, could you please quiet down?" She flinched as she heard Dia's tired, yet stern voice.

"S-Sorry.." 

Sitting down enthusiastically, and quietly, Chika was prepared to have the best time of her life.

 

-  
Riko smiled at how sunny Chika was. It was just like their leader to try and get them excited for something no one was excited for.

Just a few minutes ago, they were all staring at their feet hoping that they would be able to go back to the mansion. Now they were all happily cooking s'mores around the campfire.

Chika had that kind of effect on them.

After snacking on s'mores (Hanamaru ate at least 10), everyone was ready to retire for the night. That was, until Mari decided to finally make an appearance.

"Are you ready?!" Just as Riko was about to enter her tent, the blonde had appeared out of nowhere, nearly making her scream. 

"Mari-chan? Where were you? We just finished making s'mores!"

Not even flinching at the abrupt return of the girl, Chika peeked her head out of the tent with a grin. In response, the older girl began cackling maniacally.

"I was setting up the test of courage of course!" 

Riko looked at her in confusion, trying to quiet her down in the process.

"Test of courage?" 

"Oh, poor child, we can't go camping and not do a test of courage!" Scolding her like a mother would her son, Mari pointed to a path into the forest. 

Riko's jaw dropped as she saw the torch lit path that no one had noticed earlier. When did Mari manage to set something like that up? Apparently, she was the only one wondering, seeing as how Chika's eyes lit up in excitement in contrast to Riko's confused look.

"Yeah, let's do it! Come on guys it'll be fun!" 

In her best whisper shout, Chika called over everyone who was available. Since they had an even amount of people at the time, Mari suggested pulling lots for partners (did she always keep a box of lots on her?).

After a quick partner selection, the teams were set. And looking at the results, Riko knew she was royally screwed.

 

-  
"Yoshiko-chan, are you good with this kind of stuff, zura?" Hanamaru looked at her partner in curiosity. Since they were one of the first groups to leave, they were already pretty far into the forest.

Their mission for the test of courage was to grab a penguin doll from a shrine somewhere on the island (it was a very specific request). Mari had said it would be easy to find, since the area surrounding it would be lit with torches. 

The path was covered with lights as well, so they couldn't possibly stray off course.

"Test of courage? I live off of fear and terror! This will be nothing for fallen angel Yohane!"

She began cackling until the shorter girl stopped her with a light chop to the head. 

"Cut it out, zura. You might scare someone with that." 

"O-Oh, sorry."

Hanamaru wasn't great with scary stuff. She only occasionally read horror novels, and god forbid horror movies. So she had wanted to get with someone reliable, like Kanan or Riko. Well, what she got was the opposite of reliable.

Though she had to admit, Yoshiko's antics had calmed her down some, so it wasn't too bad. 

"Hey, Zuramaru did you bring a cell phone? I left mine at camp." Her thoughts were interrupted by the unfamiliar term. Cell phone? What was a cell phone? It suddenly dawned on her.

"Oh! You mean a communication device, zura! Of course I didn't bring one." Her parents had never let her get one, and even if they did she would have no idea how to use it.

Plus, it wasn't like they were going to get lost.

Scratching her head in frustration, Yoshiko suddenly looked around with a worried look. "Wait, isn't the path suppose to have torches on it?" Looking up in surprise, Hanamaru couldn't believe her eyes. 

They were completely lost.

 

-  
"M-Mari-san is this really okay?" It had been about 15 minutes since they had left the camp, and Riko was already starting to get worn out.

Worried that something bad would happen on the way to get a walrus doll (yeah, she didn't get it either), Riko had brought 3 bottles of water, her cell phone (they somehow still had service), and her whole bag of doujin (you know, just in case).

"Don't worry, Riko! I'll protect you from the wild bears!" Mari raised her fists and started fighting off invisible bears, with realistic grunts and all. Riko sighed and looked around nervously. Were there really bears out here?

When she picked Mari as her partner (Riko and her terrible luck), she thought it would go terribly wrong. She then thought that since Mari knew the place well, it would be easier. 

Well, her first assumption was right. 

At first, Mari had begun singing in the loudest voice possible, making Riko hope that a wild bear would actually kill them. Then, she had exclaimed that she heard something, and stood completely still for 5 minutes straight before saying that it was nothing and continuing on.

It wasn't too bad compared to what she did when she was asleep though. That was the only comfort Riko had.

"Do you think everyone else is fine?" Though her situation was bad enough, she couldn't help but wonder about the other groups. After all, one of the teams was composed of first years, which was worrying to say the least. 

"I'm sure they're fine! Hanamaru is a smart girl, so nothing bad could possibly happen to them!" Mari put a hand on her shoulder in attempted reassurance.

For some reason anything coming out of Mari's mouth was never reassuring. Though it was good to know they were both worrying about the same people. Chika was most likely fine considering Kanan was there to keep her in check, but she couldn't help but worry about the two first years.

"What did you bring in your bag anyway, Riko?" Mari curiously looked at the full bag over her shoulder, probably wondering what made it bulge out so much. 

"J-Just water and essentials, you know, the usual." She didn't want to admit that it was still full of her doujin she brought along. 

"A-Anyway, how much further is this thing?" Desperate to change the subject, Riko started looking around. How long was this path anyway? She was pretty sure that a normal test of courage wouldn't take this long. Though thinking about it, nothing here was normal. 

Going to a tropical island for winter break, camping when there was a mansion two minutes away, being school idols, living, nothing they were doing was something Riko would normally want to do.

"Hmm, I'm pretty sure the doll we're looking for is in a cave somewhere." Mari closed her eyes, seemingly in deep thought. 

"W-What?! Why would you hide something like that in a cave!?" Riko sighed in defeat. It was no use trying to find reason in her logic. She was more worried by what could possibly be in the cave. Earlier she had asked Mari about any animals on the island, but the older girl had responded with a mere shrug. So far she had only seen squirrels and such, so it couldn't have been that bad.

"Riko, look! We made it!" 

Her thoughts were interrupted by Mari's excited shouting. Looking up, she saw possibly the scariest cave in existence. She had imagined a little depression in the side of the mountain, but instead the cave seemed to go on forever. To make matters worse, it started drizzling. Thankfully, it wasn't anything too bad.

"M-Maybe we should go back, I mean-" 

"No, Riko! We can't go back until we fulfill our mission!" Mari marched in without hesitation, leaving her alone.

Riko considered going back by herself. She would rather leave her and be safe and sound in her tent. Plus, Mari would be able to find her way back by herself, right? However, the rain suddenly began pouring down harder. Now she had no choice. With a sigh of frustration, Riko began going in after the blonde.

"M-Mari-san, wait up!"

She could only hope that the others were doing better than she was.

 

-  
"W-What do we do, Yoshiko-chan!?!" With tears in her eyes, and a voice full of worry, Hanamaru had no clue where to go.

When they first got lost in the forest, she had assumed that they weren't far off from the path. However, after a few minutes of walking, it was obvious they were completely and utterly lost.

"C-Calm down, Zuramaru, it won't do us any good if we panic." Hanamaru nodded and began taking deep breaths. They wouldn't get anywhere if they didn't calm down. After all she was once a detective, so how hard could it be to just find their way back on the path?

All they had to do was find out where and how close to the path they were. However, looking around the forest, she saw no signs of anything familiar. If they couldn't find their way back, they'd have to try and signal for help.

"Um, did you bring anything, Yoshiko-chan?" Ignoring the fact that she wasn't called by her preferred name, Yoshiko nodded and began emptying her pockets and bag. Since she didn't bring a small bag on the trip, Hanamaru had entrusted her friend with bringing snacks and drinks on the test of courage. 

Though Yoshiko had said that they wouldn't need anything for such a short trip, it payed off in the end. However, neither of them thought they'd get lost on the way there.

Looking at what was brought gave her hope. They had enough snacks and water to last for a few hours, and Yoshiko had brought a lighter, along with her cape she used for fortune telling.

While the snacks were expected, she was pleasantly surprised by the lighter and cape. While the lighter was small, it could still provide light, and they could probably make a fire to signal for help if no one found them. The cape wasn't much, but they could maybe use it as a blanket if needed.

Sighing in relief, Hanamaru was glad that Yoshiko was such a weirdo. What she brought would help them immensely. All they had to do now was hope nothing else terrible would happen. 

Feeling a wet sensation on her cheek, she looked up in confusion, before realizing what was happening. The rain suddenly started pouring and Hanamaru knew that the situation became ten times worse.

Well, at least she could die satisfied with the amount of s'mores she ate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "What the heck is this crap dude, this is called Riko x Doujin, not everyone else x life problems." You may be wondering this. Well let me tell you something. I honestly don't know. Anyway, thanks for reading. Next chapter will come when I stop playing Persona 5.


	11. Chapter 11

"How long do you think the rain will last, Kanan-chan?" Chika looked out the window, worried about the others. Since Riko and Mari were the last ones to leave, they were most likely caught in the storm. And looking at the time, Hanamaru's groups must've already made it back safely.

Or at least she hoped they did. 

"Hmm... who knows? I guess we'll have to wait for the storm to clear up." Kanan opened up the door to the shack and looked to the sky. She could tell by the frown on the older girls face that it would take a while for the rain to stop. Thankfully, the dolphin doll they were looking for was in a well built shack not too far from the camp.

When the rain had started, they were lucky enough to be right in the sight of the building, and they soon set up a little camp of their own inside of it. Though Chika couldn't help but wonder why such a well stocked cabin would be in the middle of the woods.

A sudden thought occurred to her, and Chika jumped up in worry.

"W-Wait, are the tents alright out there?!" Since she didn't have much time there in the first place, due to the test of courage, she didn't know how reliable they were in extreme weather. And considering how long it would take the others who stayed at camp to get back to the mansion....

Chika frowned. Would the guards let them back in? Mari had said that they wouldn't, but considering the circumstances they would have to. 

"I'm pretty sure they're fine, I checked before we left." Thankfully, Kanan nodded confidently. Though it confused her as to how, considering the weather was getting worse by the minute. 

Kanan, noticing her confused expression, began explaining.

"Well, for some reason the tents are extremely strong. I tried tapping the outside of it, but it was rock solid." Despite the fact that her explanation only confused her more, she decided to just accept it. 

Rich people.

Looking down at her phone, she frowned. She was out of battery. Luckily, she texted Riko when the rain started, to check up on her. She seemed fine, but that could change pretty quickly considering who she was with.

With a sigh, Chika looked out the window once more. Hopefully, everyone else was doing far better than they were.

 

-  
Hanamaru was miserable. 

All she wanted to do was enjoy delicious, once in a lifetime meals with her friends. What did she get? Well, it was far from what she expected.

Soaking wet and cold from the rain, the two girls huddled together in the cave. Well, it was roughly the size of her room, which didn't really make it a cave did it? The only comfort was the small fire made from pages of Hanamaru's favorite book and Yoshiko's lighter.

They also had her thin fortune telling cape. They didn't toss it into the fire, so instead they used it as a blanket for warmth. It didn't help much for the cold, but more for comfort. 

"Z-Zuramaru, when do you think it'll end?" Yoshiko peeked her head out to gauge the weather, immediately getting soaked. Squealing in fear of becoming more cold than she already was, Hanamaru tossed more pages into the ever shrinking fire.

Thankfully, it had only been about ten minutes. So they still had an abundance of snacks to last for at least two hours. Well, unless Hanamaru ate them all. Which she totally wouldn't considering the situation. Probably.

Yoshiko thought otherwise, keeping all the snacks near her little corner of their comfortable abode. Shivering once more, the small ex-bookworm (now that her favorite book was destroyed) huddled closer to her companion.

"I-I don't know Yoshiko-chan, but we have to keep warm as much as possible, zura!" 

Hanamaru once read that body heat was one of the best ways to survive the cold. So they had to disregard embarrassment, and try their best to survive.

If they ran out of rations, they'd have to make a run for it. While it wasn't the best plan, it was the only one that made sense. 

Though neither of them wanted to think of that possibility.

 

-  
"M-Mari-san, how much further is it?" Riko had expected them to be out in at least five minutes, but they were fifteen minutes into the cave, and there were still no signs of an end.

To make matters worse, the cave was dark. Extremely dark. The only light they had was Riko's and Mari's cellphones, which only made the cave scarier along with the pounding of the rain. 

"Eek!" 

Riko stepped in a puddle and squealed at the sudden cold. Trying to shake the water out of her shoe, she stumbled back and slipped on a rock, landing into another larger puddle, drenching her from head to toe. 

"M-Mari-san!" 

Shouting at the older girl in anger for no particular reason, Riko quickly reached around for her bag, and sighed in relief. At least her valuables survived. And thankfully, she purchased a waterproof case for her phone before they departed for the trip. 

Finally noticing Riko's fall, the older girl turned, shining her light on her curiously before grinning slyly.

"Riko, if you wanted to go swimming so badly, you should've gone earlier!" 

Giggling at her own jokes, Mari reached down to grab her hand. Grumbling, she grabbed it and pulled herself up. 

"It should be up ahead if I'm correct." Seriously answering her earlier question, Mari looked down at her phone and nodded. 

Pulling out a towel to dry herself off (it never hurt to be prepared), Riko looked around the cave curiously. She never thought such a large cave system would be on an island like this. The cave wasn't too dangerous in anyway, there weren't any steep drops, but it didn't seem like it was man made.

"Mari-san, how did you find out about this place?" 

"Well, a long time ago, Kanan discovered this place when I invited her and Dia here for vacation. Back when it was just us three. Before we...."

Mari trailed off and shook her head. The past didn't matter anymore. What mattered was that they were all together again. Though there were always moments when she yearned for the time they lost when she went overseas. 

Before Riko could inquire about the sudden change in atmosphere, she felt something scurry past her feet and jumped. 

"W-What was that?!" 

Screaming in fear, Riko frantically shone her light, searching for the creature that threatened them.

"R-Riko, what's wrong?!" Ignoring her, Riko turned and saw the most terrifying beast in all of existence.

"Aww, it's just a cute puppy!" 

And screamed as loud as she could.

 

-  
"J-Just one more bag."

"No, Zuramaru, you already had your share."

"J-Just one, zura?"

"No."

This conversation was one of many between the two first years. It had been about 20 minutes now, and Yoshiko was reaching her limit.

After deciding to take their first snack break, she could tell that the food only made Hanamaru hungrier. After the break, Yoshiko wanted to get some shut eye. They didn't have time to sleep at all during the day, and due to the accursed test of courage, it was already midnight.

However, shortly after closing her eyes, Yoshiko heard many strange noises. First, she heard whimpering. Paying no mind to it, since Hanamaru was probably still keeping watch, she decided to ignore it. Next, she heard something rustle, and soon after, a few crunching noises.

Getting up at lightning speed, she saw something that surprised her more than it should of. 

There sat Zuramaru, stuffing her face with chips. Quickly snatching the bags out of her hands, Yoshiko glared at her before sighing. She should've expected this. 

"Look Zuramaru, if we want to survive out here we have to conserve our resources." 

"I-I know, but I'm just so hungry, zura..." She looked up at her with a guilty look, and started fidgeting with her hands. Sighing again, Yoshiko looked out once more. The rain was showing no signs of stopping.

"I'm sorry, Zuramaru, but we'll have to wait." She couldn't blame the other girl for being hungry at a time like this. Though she had to wonder where all the food she consumed went. 

Hearing the sound of the rain come down even harder, Yoshiko knew that they'd have to make a run for it. Not only were they running low on rations that should've lasted the much longer, they were also running out of pages to throw in their makeshift fire. Thankfully, they would last for a few more minutes.

Placing the bag of chips back in her corner, Yoshiko saw her companion whimper, before giving an apologetic smile and laying back down.

So much for a vacation.

 

-  
"Aww, aren't you just a cute little thing?" Mari scratched the dogs head excitedly, while Riko stood a distance away, glaring at the older girl. 

"W-What is something like that doing here anyway?" Of any animal that could've been on the island, a dog was something she didn't expect nor want. 

"Who knows? I'm sure it was just taking shelter from the cold." Mari pretended to think hard before shrugging and going back to petting the creature. Grumbling, Riko shook her head and checked the time. 

"It doesn't matter, let's just grab the doll and get out of here." As long as the animal didn't go anywhere near her, she would be perfectly fine. Humming happily, Mari picked up the puppy and nodded, moving onward. 

For a while, the only sounds were the quiet dripping of water, and occasional giggles and barks, but something soon entered their sights. Gasping in amazement, Riko looked around the small shrine like area in the cave. 

There on the pedestal stood the majestic walrus doll in all of its glory. 

Running up to it and sighing in relief, Riko was glad the nightmare was at least half over. All they had to do now was return to camp safely. However, she suddenly felt a steady shaking before realizing what was happening. 

"I-Is this, an earthquake?!" 

Quickly grabbing Mari's hand, she scanned the area for a safe spot to hide until it was over. Considering that Riko never explored a cave before, it was all up to luck. Sprinting to an area near the shrine, the two girls crouched down and waited for the tremors to end. When they finally did, Riko sighed in relief, before turning to the older girl. 

"W-What was that, Mari-san?"

"Hmm, it must have been due to the rain. That never happened when I came here before." 

Riko scratched her head in frustration. It was just her luck that the cave would shake now of all times. Looking around, it was a miracle that nothing fell or collapsed.

"Anyway, lets just get out of here, Mari-san." Turning to leave, Riko froze, before crouching to her knees and crying. In confusion, Mari looked at where they came from.

"What's wrong, Riko? Let's hurry and lea-"

The path they took to get there was completely blocked off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Yep, chapters will come a bit quicker now, though we're also reaching the end. Also the doujin will come into play soon, and Riko will have to make an important decision!


	12. Chapter 12

You woke up to the sound of rain. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she turned to see if the noise had woken anyone else up. However, the two people who were supposed to occupy the tent were nowhere to be found. 

Quickly grabbing her phone, she found a text from Chika and sighed. Apparently they were doing a test of courage. Grabbing a cup of coffee from the table, she looked around, still amazed by how spacious the tent was.

Not only was it almost bigger than her room, there were beds along with fully functioning televisions. It was like a small apartment. 

As the rain began coming down harder, You only worried more. How long was this test of courage? It was already midnight, and since she went to sleep much earlier, it must have been at least 30 minutes, thanks to her sleep being interrupted.

She considered going out, before shaking her head. They were probably on their way back. Plus, she was positive that Chika and Riko could take care of themselves.

Chika had her enthusiasm to keep her going, and Riko was calm and rational. If there was any trouble, they would be the first ones to see it in a positive light. 

 

-  
"Ahhhhhh!" 

Riko sat in the corner of the cave and screamed into her hands as loud as she could. Her life was over. She had so much to look forward to, but it was all taken from her as soon as she stepped foot into Mari's private jet.

"R-Riko, calm down, there's another way out." 

Would her parents miss her? Would she die never knowing when the next volume of her favorite doujin would come out? All she wanted to do in life was gone, and now she would-

"Riko!"

Surprised, Riko looked up at the older girl. 

"W-What is it, Mari-san?"

"I already told you, there's another way out." Following Mari's finger, Riko gulped. The other path she had pointed out was extremely dark. Not only that, but it seemed like there was something evil beckoning them forward.

"I-I think I'll just stay here." She turned away from the blonde and proceeded to bury her face in her hands once more. If there were any monsters waiting to kill her, she'd rather starve to death.

Sighing, Mari crouched down and began gently comforting her.

"Riko, imagine how many people are waiting for you. You have your parents, and everyone in Aqours is waiting for you too. Imagine how heartbroken You and Chika would be.."

Slowly looking up, Riko saw a gentle smile. Looking down and wiping the tears out of her eyes, she nodded and stood up. Of course she had to at least try and get out of here. Even if her heart was telling her not to, the more rational part of her knew better.

Plus, she had a whole bag of doujin to protect and read when she got back to camp. Seeing her renewed strength, Mari nodded and began navigating the new exit. 

"Come on boy! Let's get out of here!" Holding the puppy in her arms, Mari began singing enthusiastically. Shaking her head with a bitter smile, Riko knew the sooner they found the way out, the better.

 

-  
"There we go." 

Putting all their homemade equipment in the bag, Hanamaru looked nervously into the rain. Now that most of their rations were gone, they had both decided that the best decision would be to make a run for it.

Sure, they could just wait until all their rations were gone, but Yoshiko had said that it wouldn't take that long for them to run out of food, whatever that meant. So, packing up all they would need for the trip, team penguin was ready to roll (you know, minus penguin doll).

Well, as ready as they could be.

"Are you ready, Zuramaru?"

Pulling the bag over her shoulder, Hanamaru nodded. With a deep breath, they plunged into the wilderness. 

 

-  
Three girls sat in the tent. You sighed in relief as she got a text from both Riko and Kanan. While they weren't necessarily on the way back to camp, their teams were safe enough. Dia looked out into the night, seeing no end to the rain. 

"W-What about Yoshiko-chan, and Maru-chan? Are they okay?" Ruby nervously looked at the phone in her hand. It was Yoshiko's, and she was positive Hanamaru didn't have one. Dia looked at her sister with a comforting smile. 

"All we can do is wait for them, Ruby. I'm sure they can take care of themselves." Though it wasn't much, it was the most she could offer in terms of comfort. Looking back outside, Dia couldn't help but worry about the two first years herself. 

"M-Maybe I can text Riko and tell her to keep an eye out for them." Noticing how dark the atmosphere was, You tried to offer her help. She couldn't go out herself, but if there was anything she could do, she would do it. 

"Really?!" 

Ruby jumped out of her chair, and Dia nodded gratefully. Smiling back, You looked down at her phone. Hopefully, things would work out in the end.

 

-  
An unnatural echo. A questionable shadow. A sudden shiver down her spine. Riko was terrified. There was nothing different about what they were doing, but she still felt the fear. 

The path was rocky and dangerous, yet Mari marched forward, oblivious to the fear and terror she felt. She had to wonder what made the older girl tick.

"Mari-san, do you know this part of the cave well?" Might as well try and make conversation. At least it would stave off the fear. 

The blonde held up the puppy thoughtfully, before answering in a wistful tone. "Not really, at the time we weren't really allowed to go this far in. Though that didn't stop Kanan." 

Looking at her confused, Riko couldn't help but wonder about the older girls past. There was still a lot she didn't understand about the relationship between the third years, but she knew Mari cared for them. 

And surprisingly, she found herself wanting to know more about her. The girl seemed to have this mysterious air about her, and she still didn't understand why she wanted them to spend so much time with each other.

"Mar-"

Jumping at a sudden vibration, Riko looked down at her phone. They still had service? Looking at the message, her eyes widened in surprise. 

"Mari-san? I thought you said they were on the easy path." Mari turned in confusion. 

"What are you talking about, Riko?" Seeing the urgent text, the blonde was just as surprised as she was. With a sigh, Riko turned and resisted the urge to slam her head against the wall. The situation just had to be more complicated. 

Listening to the rain, she shook her head and began walking. "Let's hurry and get out of here." If the two first years were still out there, they would have to find them as quickly as possible. 

Running to catch up, Mari bit her lip. She wanted to make the most out of their time together as Aqours, and she already messed it up. 

"Huh?"

Taking another step, Mari felt the absence of solid ground, before looking down in realization. Falling in the ravine they both somehow managed to miss, she grasped for the nearest ledge, after making sure the puppy was safe on solid ground.

"M-Mari-san?!" Turning quickly, Riko sighed in relief as she saw her safe and sound. Well, as safe as she could be hanging off the edge of a cliff. "Alright, I'm coming over, just be careful." Nodding, Mari looked down into the darkness. There was no telling how far down it went.

Thankfully, her reflexes were good enough for her to grab onto something, or she would've been a goner. 

However, the relief of safety didn't last long, as, to their surprise, another tremor began.

 

-  
Ruby was frustrated. Her friends were somewhere in a dark forest in the middle of a storm, and she couldn't even do anything to help. Ever since the incident at the bookstore, she had a lot to think about in terms of her confidence.

She had wanted to become stronger like Yoshiko, which may have been a strange person to look up to, but Ruby couldn't count how many times the demon obsessed girl had helped her. 

Looking out into the night, she sighed, worried about the other two first years. Even after all they've been through together, Ruby was still useless.

Riko had said she was strong, but did she really change?

Jumping at a sudden sensation on her cheek, she turned to see You holding two cups of coffee with a grin. Giving one to her, the girl took a seat next to her on the bed.

"Worried about them?" Nodding, Ruby looked down at her cup. She didn't want to worry the older girl with her problems. After all, she wasn't even the one in danger.

You sipped her drink, before giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I'm sure they're fine, Hanamaru's a smart girl." Nodding automatically, she couldn't count how many times she heard that same thing. 

"Plus, Chika's with Kanan, so she should be fine...." 

You started mumbling to herself and Ruby looked at the ashen hair girl, wondering if she was worried at all. She always seemed so carefree. Did she ever feel as powerless as she did?

"U-Um, are you worried about Chika-chan and Riko-chan?" 

The girl looked surprised at the sudden question, but closed her eyes as if thinking of something appropriate to say. "Hmmm, I can't say I'm not, after all they're my friends...." As if finding the right words, she nodded before continuing. 

"I think I'm just frustrated at myself, yeah, that's it." With a smile, You looked at her apologetically. Though Ruby didn't know what she was apologizing for. "I just feel like Aqours is as precious to me as it is to Chika. I-I mean I'm not saying it isn't precious to everyone else, but...." 

You looked outside with a small wistful smile. "I just want to protect that feeling, and I feel like I'm getting left behind. Like I can't help even if I tried." She shook her head and laughed nervously. 

"Sorry, that wasn't really what you were asking, was it? Hahaha...." Ruby didn't quite understand, and that was evident, but she did know one thing. 

Standing up from her seat, Ruby looked her in the eyes. "Don't worry You-chan, if we're strong than we'll never get left behind! We just have to try our best!" Surprised at the sudden declaration, You smiled and nodded firmly.

"Yeah, though we should probably quiet down some, I'm pretty sure you sister is asleep..." Finally realizing how loud she was, Ruby slapped her hand on her mouth and apologized with a tomato red face.

"S-Sorry.." 

Ruby knew what made people stronger now. It wasn't anything dangerous or risky, it was something that was right in front of her all along. It was her friends that made her strong. If she wanted to conquer fear, she didn't have to do it alone. If she could support her friends, they would support her.

So, Ruby decided to wait for her friends to return, so when they did, she could greet them with a smile.

 

-  
Riko found herself in a situation that was nothing but cliche. Trying her hardest to hold Mari up, while also trying not to fall to her death was something she never thought would happen to her over winter break.

And this wasn't even the worst part.

Backing up to when the tremors started, Riko cursed her terrible luck and threw the puppy as gingerly as she could and as far away from the cliff as possible. That was the easy part. Hearing Mari's scream of terror, Riko, without any thought, threw herself nearly off the cliff to just barely catch her by the arm.

However, the force of her launch threw her bag off her shoulder, and she watched in horror as her bag full of valuable doujin lodged itself onto a fragile rock hanging off the edge.

Now, she had to make a choice. An obvious choice, anyone that ever saw any movie ever knew what she had to do. Heck, even she knew the right decision.

But still she hesitated, and for a moment, god forbid anyone found out, she considered dropping Mari. 

Riko knew that she could buy more doujin, friends were irreplaceable. But imagine a chocolate cake. When you see this cake, you think that there will never be a cake like this ever again and that eating the whole thing by yourself is the only answer. That's what this doujin was to her. A chocolate cake that she couldn't let go of. 

However, she knew that if she let Mari go, she'd become a murderer and never recover from the mental trauma it would have on her body. So, regretfully, she pulled Mari up, and watched as her bag of doujin fell to the depths of hell. 

They both lay there, exhausted and shocked, though for different reasons. 

"Y-You weren't going to drop me there, were you, Riko?" 

Turning slowly, and with an uncomfortable pause, Riko replied.

"Of course not, Mari-san, of course not." Riko began laughing, and as she laughed, she cried. Mari watched in udder confusion and fear, as her laughter became more maniacal by the second.

When she was done, she was empty. "Lets go." Mari merely nodded, and after a few minutes, they found the exit.

 

-  
Drenched, destroyed, and exhausted, the two girls collapsed in synchronization. After what felt like hours, they finally made it back to camp. 

"Maru-chan! Yoshiko-chan!" Noticing the two, and paying no attention to the rain, Ruby ran at full speed, tackling the two of them with surprising strength. "I was so worried, thank goodness you're okay!" Yoshiko gave a weak smile, and Hanamaru was out cold. 

"Oh! They're back you guys!" Chika poked her head out of the tent, and beckoned everyone over as Ruby helped the two to their beds. Which was hard considering one of them was already asleep.

Sighing in relief, Dia turned to the other girls who had just recently returned. Both Kanan and Chika were perfectly fine, and had no trouble getting back to camp. However, the same could not be said about the others.

While it was obvious that both Hanamaru and Yoshiko were burning up with a cold, Mari and Riko were both fine. Well, in terms of health. While Mari's hair was a bit unkempt, she still had her energy, and for some reason returned with a puppy. 

Riko, however, did not seem okay in any way, shape or form. After returning to camp, she immediately collapsed on her bed and stared at the ceiling of the tent for nearly 10 minutes, before falling asleep. After checking to see if she had a disease of any kind (Mari decided to bring a doctor to the camp, to everyone's relief) and finding nothing noticeably wrong with her, Dia decided to ask her about it later.

So finally, after a long night, the rain finally stopped.

 

-  
Boarding the plane You looked out the window, reminiscing about all the good times they had. Well, she tried to, but it was no good. With a sigh, she sat down and rested her chin in her hand. Even on a trip like this, she wasn't anywhere near being as helpful as she wanted to be. 

Now that they were finally on the way back home, the reality of it all hit her. She was like the Mineta of the group. Okay, she wouldn't go that far, but she still felt pretty useless.

There wasn't much anyone could do in that situation, but that didn't stop her from beating herself up about it. She wanted to be strong for her friends and she couldn't even do that. 

Jumping at a familiar tactic that was used many times before, You turned to see Ruby holding two sodas in her hands. Sitting down next to her, the younger girl smiled sweetly and began humming. "What are you so happy about today?" The good mood was infectious, and You found herself smiling.

"Just glad that everything worked out in the end." Taking a drink from her soda, You's smile faded. "Yeah...."

Noticing the absence of her usual energy, Ruby bit her lip and nodded to herself, as if steeling herself to do something. "You know, I don't think being strong only means holding up the world by yourself." The older girl gave her a surprised look, before turning away.

Ruby grabbed her hand, forcing her to turn to look her in the eyes, and continued.

"I think true strength is sharing the weight of the world with others."

"Huh?" 

Looking in stunned silence, You understood what she was trying to say, and nodded, before suddenly bursting into laughter. Confused, Ruby panicked, thinking that she did something wrong. "W-W-What's so funny?" This only caused her to laugh even more.

When she finally calmed down, You turned to her and smiled. 

"When did you get so strong, Ruby-chan?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may be asking why I'm focusing so much on the other character when this fic is Riko centric. Well, since this is my first time writing all of Aqours, I've grown to enjoy writing characters I've never even considered when I started to write. Anyway, more on that later. Next chapter is the grand finale, and is a Christmas chapter. For those of you wanting some more YoshiRuby, well you'll get it.


	13. Chapter 13

2 days before Christmas

 

"Achoo!" 

Using her 20th tissue of the day, Yoshiko wiped her nose and wrapped herself in her blanket. Looking out the window, she sighed. Now that they were back home, she had spent the rest of the break recovering, and before she knew it, Christmas was just around the corner.

Though it wasn't like she could go out and hang out with her friends. Hanamaru had recovered quickly after returning, but Yoshiko's cold only worsened, to her disbelief. So, while everyone was out buying presents for each other, she sat alone in her room watching the snow fall.

It was honestly the worst thing to ever happen to her, besides everything that had happened in the past month. Getting up, she shook her head. She might as well do something. Flinching at the cold wooden floor of the kitchen, Yoshiko grabbed some chips and switched the tv on. 

What? If she was forced to stay inside, she would rather spend her time watching horror movies or something. However, right as she was getting comfortable, a knocking at the door forced her to get up. Responsibility sucks.

Answering the door, she was surprised to see Ruby, holding a wrapped box. 

"M-Merry Christmas, Yoshiko-chan!"

Surprised even more at the words coming out of her mouth, Yoshiko covered her face in embarrassment, before grinning happily. Being sick wasn't too bad sometimes. 

"It's a little too early for Christmas, don't you think?"

Ruby giggled before shaking her head. "Christmas is in 2 days, Yoshiko-chan. Plus, I couldn't wait to give you your present!" Waltzing in, the girl placed the box on the table, beckoning Yoshiko over in excitement. 

Closing the door and taking a seat, she couldn't help but notice how unusually energetic the red head was. It was cute as hell though.

"Are you ready to see what it is?" After closing her eyes, Ruby said she wouldn't be allowed to get the present if she didn't, Yoshiko nodded.

"Okay, here it is!" Opening her eyes, Yoshiko's already wide smile widened even more. It was an obviously homemade scarf. It was black and white, with a striped design. Though some of the stripes were painfully uneven.

"D-Do you like it?" Now that her mission was complete, Ruby was nervous to see what she thought of the present.

"I made three of them, one for each of us. Though mine and yours are the only black and white ones, since we didn't have any pink....... A-And I kind of messed of yours too...." Ruby's face turned crimson and she turned away, embarrassed.

Silence filled the air until Yoshiko burst into laughter. Turning in surprise, Ruby stared at her in confusion. Calming down and wiping the tears out of her eyes, Yoshiko smiled.

"Thanks, Ruby, I love it."

 

-  
After chatting for a few minutes, Yoshiko, realizing that she totally forgot her manners, hurried to the kitchen to make tea. "Sorry if this is boring, go ahead and turn on the tv." 

However, Ruby was far from bored. Despite the fact that the two were friends, she had never actually went over to her house before. And for some reason, it made her extremely nervous. After all, there was another reason that she came here.

Reflecting on how much she changed over the year, Ruby realized that the person who helped her and supported her the most was Yoshiko. Despite being strange, she was sincere and cared for her friends. So on the whole ride to give her the homemade scarf, Ruby tried to think of another way to thank her.

She wasn't having much luck though. She felt as if anything she had to offer would never amount to what was done for her. 

"Is this okay?" 

Jumping at the arrival of the tea, Ruby nodded stiffly and thanked her, nervously rubbing her hands together in anticipation. If there was one thing she could do, it would be showing her appreciation through action.

"You know, this past month has really been something, huh." Looking out the window, Yoshiko rested her chin in her hand. Even though she had been through hell, it wasn't all bad. 

"Y-Yeah." 

After spending time talking and drinking tea in comfortable silence, Yoshiko looked at the time in surprise. "This late already? Sorry for taking so much of your time." The red head shook her head.

"Um, I-It's okay, I didn't have much to do today anyway." Getting up to leave, she stopped at the front door and looked down nervously. Yoshiko looked at her confused. 

"Is something-"

"A-Actually, I have something else to give you!" Surprised at the sudden shout from the small girl, she nodded slowly, wondering what exactly made her nervous. You know, besides nearly everything.

Fidgeting nervously, Ruby sighed, before nodding to her self. "You have to close your eyes." Raising an eyebrow, the girl complied. 

Silence filled the air, until a sudden impact made her gasp in surprise. Opening her eyes, Yoshiko only saw the back of the girl's head, before realizing what had happened. Ruby was hugging her.

Unable to react, she stood there, mouth agape and arms twitching, as the normally timid girl embraced her. With the girls warm arms around her neck, she could barely comprehend the situation she was in.

After what felt like only a short while, much to Yoshiko's disappointment, Ruby stepped back, face red and eyes darting around nervously,

"Um, I-I'll see you later!"

Before squeaking out those words, bowing frantically and running out of her home. Leaving her standing in the doorway, speechless.

 

-  
1 day before Christmas

 

"How about this one, You-chan?!" Now that they were in the comfort of the store, she could feel the cold leaving her body. Rubbing her hands together, You looked at her energetic friend with a smile.

"Chika-chan, we just got here, give us some time to warm up." Pouting, the ginger turned away from her, before skipping over to another shelf of accessories happily.

Hearing a laugh from behind her, You turned to see her other childhood friend shaking her head with an understanding smile. "Just let her go, it's nearly Christmas. No wonder she's excited." Kanan began looking around, nodding to herself.

"Plus, we need to do some shopping ourselves, for the party and all.." You sighed, but began looking for supplies. Now that they were back from the winter trip, it was nearly Christmas, and they were in charge of lights and decorations.

Looking out the window, You saw the falling snow and smiled. It was already Christmas. In just a short amount of time, her mindset completely changed, and for the better.

It wasn't something she did willingly, but it was surprisingly Ruby who had helped the most through her troubles. 

"Over here, You-chan!" Seeing her energetic friend stick her head out, You smiled and shook her head. They would have to hurry and get the materials. The Christmas party was tomorrow.

 

-  
Christmas Day

 

Shivering at the cold, Riko walked through the city, taking in the sights. When Christmas came around, decorations were put up everywhere in Tokyo. As a child, the liveliness always amazed her. So when she had moved to Uchiura, Riko was interested to see what the countryside had to offer.

While she was pleasantly surprised to see how lively it was, she always missed the business of the city, strange as it sounded. Though she didn't go often, the bus prices were much to high to just wander around, today was an exception.

Snow was stacking up, and children's mouth gaped, as the nearby Christmas parade passed by. Smiling softly at the sight, Riko looked at her watch and nodded.

The party was in an hour, but she decided to wander a bit more. She wouldn't be too late. Plus, there was a lot for her to think about. After resting in bed for a few days, Riko had thought about her decision to drop the doujin back in the cave.

While it still hurt, she was glad that she didn't follow her instinct, which was to drop Mari. Thinking about it more, a lot of stuff she did was mostly due to her obsession with yuri. Was it really all worth it?

She didn't regret hiding her stash from Chika. If the hyperactive girl had found it, she would've been in tons of trouble. The same could be said for the situation with You.

However, thinking about the conflicts with Kanan, Dia, and Hanamaru, she came to the conclusion that it was probably her fault. Bringing porn to school was not a wise choice, now that she thought about it.

It had caused so much trouble for them, and even though she was forgiven (by Kanan), Riko wanted to pay them back for all the pain and suffering they went through. 

Also, there was one thing she couldn't turn her back on. The bookstore problem. After getting the store completely demolished, Riko felt that she was forever in Ruby's debt. She had no reason to go through that trauma, and even after all that, she still saved them in the end.

Riko's eyes wandered, until they finally landed on the display case of doujin. After all she had been through, she knew this was the right decision. With a sad smile, she turned away.

The Christmas party was going to start without her if she didn't hurry.

 

~fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it. The end. You may be unsatfied, but PLOT TWIST! All along this was a set up for my Yoshiko/Ruby fan fiction, which will come sometime near the end of September! Pre order today. On a serious note, thanks to everyone who read this, and if you want that YohaRuby fic, it'll happen.


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